This consultation seeks views on draft plans to improve air quality. The Government’s primary driver for action on air quality is the impact it can have on health and the environment. A cleaner, healthier environment benefits people and the economy.
The plans set out actions being planned...More

On 16 July 2015 the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Environment and Rural Affairs Rory Stewart announced that as part of the commitment to cleaner air the Government would amend the current Environmental Permitting Guidance – the Waste Incineration Directive document to state clearly...More

This consultation focuses on the Large Combustion Plants (Transitional National Plan) Regulations 2015, which will provide the legal basis for the implementation of the UK Transitional National Plan (TNP) from 1 January 2016 to 30 June 2020.
The Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) allows...More

The Government’s commitment to sustainable agriculture and improving the environment is delivered through a range of tools, initiatives and best practice. These aim to protect and improve the water environment and support competitive agriculture.
We need a combination of different actions to...More

This consultation seeks views on proposals to consolidate and update existing legislation: The Natural Mineral Water, Spring Water and Bottled Drinking Water (England) Regulations 2007, as amended (the 2007 Regulations), governing the exploitation, bottling and marketing of natural mineral...More

* Update 21 April 2017
Between 26 October 2015 and 14 December 2015 APHA consulted on proposals to introduce new fees for some statutory services as set out below.
We are grateful for the interest shown in the proposals. Publication of the summary of responses and the Government...More

* Update 21 April 2017
Between 26 October 2015 and 14 December 2015 APHA consulted on proposals to revise fees for some statutory services as set out below.
We are grateful for the interest shown in the proposals. Publication of the summary of responses and the Government...More

Defra are inviting views on proposed amendments to the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 (VSA) regarding the current governance structure of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), the statutory regulator of the veterinary profession.
Please see the consultation letter and consultation...More

The Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations came into force on 6 April 2010 and have been in force now for five years. The Government, in line with its commitment to review all new regulations after they have been in force for a period of time, is undertaking a review of their effectiveness. ...More

Petrol contains volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which evaporate inside the fuel tank of a vehicle and fill the air space above the liquid fuel. When a vehicle is refuelled, these vapours are forced out from the fuel tank by the incoming fuel and, unless controlled, escape into the atmosphere...More

This consultation invites views on Government measures to improve delivery of Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) in England. These detailed proposals are a result of the last LAQM review consultation concluded in January 2015.
The consultation is aimed principally at air quality practitioners...More

Packaging Regulations :consultation on changes to the plastic packaging recycling business targets for 2016-17 and new targets for plastic and glass for 2018-20.
We want to know what you think about our plans to amend business targets under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging...More

The Water Act 2014 (WA14) introduces reforms to the water supply licensing regime (the “WSL”) that will allow the water sector to achieve increased resilience, increased customer choice and support economic growth. These include changes that will allow more competition in the retail market...More

Local authorities are required by law to issue licences for specific animal-related establishments and activities, with the aim of maintaining good standards of animal welfare. There is a registration requirement for performing animals, and licensing systems for pet shops, animal boarding, riding...More

Defra and the Welsh Government are making changes to UK legislation to implement new EU Directive 2015/1127 which introduces an amendment to the R1 energy efficiency formula in Annex II of the EU Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC) [1] (“the Waste Directive”).
The consultation...More

We invite your views on proposed changes to water abstraction licensing exemptions in England and Wales. Defra, the Welsh Government, the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales are consulting jointly on our intended approach to remove most exemptions from water abstraction licensing and...More

The Bathing Water Directive (2006/7/EC) protects bathers' health at popular beaches and inland waters by requiring water quality to be monitored for intestinal enterococci and E.coli during the bathing season, which in England runs from 15 May to 30 September. The Directive applies to waters that...More

The Bathing Water Directive (2006/7/EC) protects bathers' health at popular beaches and inland waters by requiring water quality to be monitored for intestinal enterococci and E.coli during the bathing season, which in England runs from 15 May to 30 September. The Directive applies to waters that...More

This consultation seeks views on draft regulations which revoke and replace the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2000 (as amended) and the Private Water Supplies Regulations 2009 (as amended). We intend to lay the draft regulations in spring/summer 2016.
The legislation is being...More

Background
Following Storm Desmond last December, the government launched a National Flood Resilience Review. The review will be chaired by Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Letwin.
The Review will assess how the country can be better protected from future flooding and...More

The Defra group (the core department, together with our agencies and arm’s length bodies) produces and uses a wide range of official statistics. They are used internally to inform policy making and operational delivery and are shared externally, so that others can use the information.
We...More

This is the statutory consultation regarding Defra’s intention to consolidate the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007 (the PWR 2007).
New SIs are continually being proposed and developed. This consolidation brings together those in existence since 2007, in...More

The Bathing Water Directive (2006/7/EC) protects bathers' health at popular beaches and inland waters by requiring water quality to be monitored for intestinal enterococci and E.coli during the bathing season, which in England runs from 15 May to 30 September. The Directive applies to waters that...More

During the course of the government’s National Flood Resilience Review , a wide variety of potential approaches to flood risk management have been highlighted, including new techniques and models for assessing land use, water flow, natural flood management, meteorological sensitivities,...More

Water and sewerage Undertakers have a duty to allow new connections to be made to existing water and sewerage networks, including for new housing development.
The Water Industry Act 1991 provides for Undertakers to charge for new connections to the network, and for associated work. Since...More

Bovine TB is the most pressing and costly animal health problem in the UK. The disease threatens our cattle industry and presents a risk to other livestock and also to wildlife species (mainly badgers), pets and humans. The Government remains determined to eradicate bovine TB.
This is the...More

Bovine TB is the most pressing and costly animal health problem in the UK. The disease threatens our cattle industry and presents a risk to other livestock, as well as wildlife species, pets and humans. The Government remains determined to eradicate bovine TB, including through a comprehensive...More

This call for views is a precursor to possible full consultation on proposals to simplify the TB testing regime in the High Risk Area (HRA) of England. The Government’s view is that there is potential disease control and practical merit in such simplification but acknowledges that there will be...More

Defra is carrying out a review of The Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals Order 2011 (as amended by the Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals (Amendment) Order 2014). The review will fulfil our statutory commitment to Parliament to review the effectiveness of the Order in relation to its...More